An all up round (AUR) includes an assembled round or bullet comprised of, for example, a housing (cartridge), a primer, a projectile, and a propellant. Current test systems for AURs include instrumentation that measures parameters associated with firing the AUR such as case mouth pressure, velocity of the projectile, and action time, which is the time from when energy is applied to the primer of the bullet to when the projectile leaves the gun barrel muzzle. Current test systems for AURs are also known to test the propellant in the AUR. Some rounds include electric primers which are activated by an externally provided electric charge, as opposed to a mechanical impact. The electric primer in turn ignites the primary propellant. Existing testing equipment for AURs is unable to test the electric primer functionality. Further, existing test equipment is unable to control an application of required voltages in varied durations to the electric primer of the AUR.
In primers used in ammunition for rapid fire cannon guns, including guns having multiple revolving barrels, a need exists to detect the causes of a long action time that exceeds a maximum action (dwell) time. The maximum action time varies depending on the gun and ammunition configuration. One example of a maximum action time is about 570 microseconds for a 20 mm gun, although other suitable maximum action times may be required. An action time lasting longer than the maximum action time may cause damage to the gun.
A method and apparatus is provided that allows control of an applied voltage, duration, and resistance to initiate an electric primer and monitor output characteristics of either the primer or the AUR. The apparatus and method control several key elements with high specificity, including, for example, the applied voltage magnitude, the length of time voltage is applied (microsecond pulse duration), the number of voltage pulses, and an in-line resistance applied to the bullet's primer.
The present disclosure includes an apparatus and method for functionally testing electrically initiated items, such as primers, for temperature and pressure data. According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, an exemplary testing method is capable of determining a primer's pressure and temperature, while applying voltage to a cartridge's primer and controlling factors including varying degrees of voltage, pulse duration, number of pulses, and in-line resistance. The temperature and pressure data provide an indication of the dynamics of the primer's reaction to a firing pulse.
According to a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus is capable of testing for pressure, velocity, and action time in relation to, for example, an AUR, and in addition, testing temperature and pressure in relation to primer-only function while also subjecting the AUR or primer to varying degrees of voltage, pulse duration, number of pulses, and in-line resistance. Various embodiments can have different attributes or elements/steps.
According to a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus has been created capable of controlling various testing methods of an AUR and primer-only cartridge function.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a system is provided including at least one processor, a first section including a testing apparatus adapted to hold and initiate an electrically initiated gas generator initiator, and a second section coupled to the testing apparatus and operable to generate and selectively control an electrical firing signal to the initiator based on a plurality of firing signal input parameters. The plurality of firing signal input parameters comprise a voltage of the electrical firing signal and at least one of a pulse duration of the electrical firing signal and a number of pulses of the electrical firing signal. The system includes a third section comprising an input/output section including a user interface, and the user interface includes a display adapted to display a graphical user interface. The system includes a fourth section comprising a test fixture and an electrical characteristic measurement section operable to measure a plurality of parameters including voltage and current associated with the electrical firing signal. The test fixture comprises a housing adapted to couple to the testing apparatus. The fourth section further includes at least one of a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor coupled to the test fixture. The test fixture includes at least one internal port for receiving the at least one of the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor, and the electrically initiated gas generator initiator is positioned in the housing of the test fixture. The system further includes a machine instruction storage section comprising a plurality of machine readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to: generate a test selection prompt requesting a user to select one of a first test and a second test and configure at least the second section based upon a user selection of the first test; obtain the plurality of firing signal input parameters and configure at least the second section for the first test based on the plurality of firing signal input parameters; and execute the first test by generating a first user control trigger prompt, initiating sending a first firing activation signal to the second section in response to a user selection of the first user control trigger prompt, collecting the plurality of parameters from the fourth section generated during the first test, and displaying a graphical interface section on the display comprising electrically initiated gas generator initiator data. The electrically initiated gas generator initiator data includes temperature and pressure generated during the first test.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a test system is provided including at least one processor and a first section comprising a holder adapted to hold an electrically activated gas generator initiator positioned within a gas generator charge housing. The initiator is activated by application of at least one firing control signal. The system includes a second section comprising a power supply, a function generator, and a switch operable to selectively generate the at least one firing control signal based on a plurality of firing signal input parameters. The system includes a third section comprising test instrumentation operable to measure at least one of a pressure output and a temperature output from the gas generator initiator and to measure at least one of current data and voltage data during a test. The system includes a fourth section including an input/output section operable to receive user inputs and to output a plurality of outputs. The system further includes a fifth section comprising a machine readable storage section adapted to store a plurality of machine readable instructions operable for controlling the test system. The plurality of machine readable instructions when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to: receive a plurality of user inputs including user selection of a type of test and the plurality of firing signal input parameters; perform an initial configuration of at least the second section based on the plurality of firing signal input parameters; execute the test by operating the second section to generate the at least one firing control signal so as to activate the initiator and by operating the third section to collect the at least one of the pressure output and the temperature output and the at least one of current data and voltage data during activation of the initiator; and provide graphical user interface data to the fourth section for displaying the at least one of the pressure output and the temperature output and the at least one of current data and voltage data generated during the test.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of testing includes providing a first section comprising a holder adapted to hold an electrically activated gas generator initiator positioned within a gas generator charge housing. The initiator is configured to activate by application of at least one firing control signal comprising an electrical signal. The method includes providing a second section comprising a power supply, a function generator, and a switch operable to selectively generate the at least one firing control signal based on a plurality of firing signal input parameters. The method includes providing a third section comprising a test instrumentation operable to measure at least one of a pressure output and a temperature output from the gas generator initiator and to measure at least one of current data and voltage data during a test. The method includes providing a fourth section including an input/output section operable to receive user inputs and output a plurality of outputs. The method includes receiving a plurality of user inputs including user selection of a type of test and the plurality of firing signal input parameters and performing an initial configuration of at least the second section based on the plurality of firing signal input parameters. The method includes executing the test by operating the second section to generate the at least one firing control signal so as to activate the initiator. The method includes operating the third section to collect the at least one of the pressure output and the temperature output and the at least one of current data and voltage data during activation of the initiator. The method further includes generating graphical user interface data for display on the fourth section comprising the at least one of the pressure output and the temperature output and the at least one of current data and voltage data generated during the test.
In still another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of testing includes providing a control section comprising a programmable DC power supply, a function generator, and a switch operable to selectively generate a firing control signal. The method includes providing an oscilloscope operable to measure the firing control signal. The method includes selecting a voltage amplitude on the programmable DC power supply. The method includes inserting a cartridge into a cartridge port of a test vessel and coupling the test vessel with the cartridge to a firing breech, and the cartridge includes a primer. The method includes positioning at least one of a pressure transducer and a temperature sensor in the cartridge proximate the primer. The method includes selecting at least one input parameter for the firing control signal. The at least one input parameter includes at least one of a pulse duration and a number of pulses associated with the firing control signal. The method includes activating the primer by applying the firing control signal to the primer. The method further includes collecting and displaying on a display data based on output from the at least one of the pressure transducer and the temperature sensor.
Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments.